A Climbers' Guide to the El Rito Sport Crags

A Climbers' Guide to the El Rito Sport Crags New Mexico By Gary Clark - Version 06/05/05 HOW TO GET THERE The village of El Rito is located about 50 miles north of Santa Fe. There is a detailed map of Northern NM on the web site if you are having difficulty finding it on a regular road map. From the east end of the village, turn north on Forest Road 44 (dirt). Drive 3.75 miles from the pavement, and park to the left just after the sign Cañada del Potrero. Camping is available at several locations up this spur road, which ends in about a half-mile. Now walk across the road to a trail paralleling it headed south. The trail crosses a bridge, then turns south up the sidehill to the crags. (~15 min.) Gary Clark Page 1 of 8 6/5/2005

El Rito Sport Crags The Routes Training Wall A small block downhill from the approach trail. No drawing. 0? Grits 20 2 Very short, very steep route on the west face with small holds. Rating unknown, but clearly hard. 1 11d Just Another Pretty Face 1v 11b Pretty Face Variation 30' 3 Steep strenuous route on south face. The left line of bolts. 30' 3 Start as for route 1, but clip separate bolts on a more natural line of holds to the right. Come back left at the top to the same anchor. Short route but great moves. Pirates Wall West Face of this major formation. Routes numbered L to R. See drawing below. 2 9 Scurvy Dog 60' 7 Tricky start 6 right of arête on face. Go to arête, then follow closely-spaced bolts to overhang, which is easier than it looks. 3 11a Oxymorons 75' 6 Crux at start, much easier higher. Good route, sophomoric original name. 4 10d Captain Hook** 80' 10 Has some OK climbing, but loose rock detracts. Belay out of the fall line, and wear a helmet! Not one of the better routes at the area. Crux section at top. 5 11c Walking the Plank 75' 10 Long, strenuous route with the crux near the top. Death cobble for belayer four feet left at the crux section Don t stray from the bolt line! 6 12a Pirated 70 6 Start atop boulders. Difficult clip at the anchors. 7 10c Blackbeard 80 8 Area classic. Start behind boulders in narrow slot. Can bypass 10d crux above 3 rd bolt to the right (10c). Caution - potential for leader to hit pillar behind in fall low on route! 8 11b Long John** 88 12 Furthest right route on wall. Crux at top where it gets steep. Note length 60m rope, or belayer must be on top of boulders behind base (convenient Ponderosa anchor). Excellent. Gary Clark Page 2 of 8 6/5/2005

Super Slab Highest face at area, with high quality moderate routes. Faces south. Routes numbered L to R. See drawing below. 9 8 Super Arête 82' 8 Best route at this grade with an exciting position. Still some loose rock on the edge stay on the bolt line to avoid. 10 9 Class Action 80' 10 Starts 10 right of the arête. Excellent, popular route. 11 11a or 10b Full Sail 90' 9 Straight up at bulge is 5.11. Traverse left is 5.10. The longest route at El Rito - the only one for which a 60m rope is mandatory (or you can go over the top.) Excellent. 12 10a Boltaneer 85' 10 Area classic. Note length you can do it with a 50m rope if you pay close attention. Excellent. 13 10c Oreo 75' 8 On extreme right edge of wall, just under a chute. Note belay bolt at bottom of face to your right. Hard moves at bottom and top, softer sweet stuff in between. Excellent. The Balcony The faces above and right of Super Slab, facing west. Routes numbered L to R. No drawing 14 9 Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery. 40' 4 Big holds on a short face; would be only 5.7+ if it weren t for awkward final moves to get to an unnaturally placed anchor. 15 8 Cobzilla 40' 5 Similar to 14, but has more consistently difficult moves. Easiest if you tend right above the first bolt. 16 9 / 10a Mister Bigglesworth 40' 4 Similar to 15. Perhaps 10a for short people. Hardware is subpar on this route. 17 11b Jug-or-Naut 40' 5 On the rightmost block on the Balcony - steep jugs, 1st half hardest, good physical route. Gary Clark Page 3 of 8 6/5/2005

The Ed-Woody North facing, slightly overhanging wall on same block as Super Slab & Pirates Wall. Routes numbered L to R. Drawing below. 18 10a Gridlock 35 4 10a only if you go to the arête below the final bolt. Direct finish is much harder. Not a great route because of this unnatural finish that sandbags many climbers. 19 10d Redline 40 5 Steep pockets, doesn't let up. Excellent. 20 11a Cobbles and Robbers 55 6 Steep pockets to easier finish. Another excellent route just a bit harder than Redline. The Thimble Small formation forming the right side of the tunnel through to the upper area at top of log. Faces north, no drawing. 21 10a El Dorito 30' 3 Very popular warm-up for jug hauling, but a traffic jam area on weekends - avoid. Ground-fall potential while clipping bolts - dangerous for leader near his/her limit. Big Pine Wall The west-facing major wall at mid-height on the slope. Popular, quality climbs. Routes numbered from L to R. Drawing below. 22 10d Cobble Wobble 55' 7 Area classic. Steep cobble pulling. 23 11c Corn on the Cobble 50' 6 Lower half easy, crux moves quite stiff, then lets up a little. Bolt six is hidden until you re there. 24 12b Pocket Rocket 50' 6 Start between rocks at base of face. 25 11d Peach Cobbler 50' 5 Tough pocket pulling on unrelenting face. Exc. Route. 26 10c Apple Cobbler 50' 5 Contrived route on steep face a few feet left of arête. Can escape at any point to south face for easy climbing, but getting back to anchors is 5.9. Shares anchors with 25. Gary Clark Page 4 of 8 6/5/2005

Schoolhouse Slab Good area for beginners and to watch dog fights. Faces south. Routes numbered L to R. No drawing. 28 7+ Cobb It 35' 4 Short, straight-up climb, good beginner lead. 29 7+ Herby Goes Bananas 35' 3 Very similar to Cobb It. Rad Wall Highest major west-facing wall with long, overhanging, unrelenting physical routes. Routes numbered L to R. Drawing below. 31 11d Procrastination 50' 6 Nearest route to the left arête. Bring muscles. 32 12a Bolting Barbie 50' 6 Continuous pocket pulling. Crux move above 1 st bolt. 33 12a Stroke Me 50' 7 Original rating 11c/d, but consensus has it harder. 34 12c Against All Cobbs 50' 7 Reachy start, crux middle section, endurance finish. 35 12a Crack Attack 50' 9 In spite of the name, there is no crack climbing. 36 12b Stoker 50' 7 37 11c The Matrix 45' 6 Around corner on SW arête. 38 10c Resurrection 45' 6 Use 1st bolt of Rte. 37, then follow bolts right and up. A botched, abandoned project redone and finished in 2003. Gary Clark Page 5 of 8 6/5/2005

Gnar Wall The big block just left (N) of the Rad Wall. Routes numbered L to R (CCW). No drawing. 39 10b Balls to the Wall 40 5 Leftmost route on west face. Rock looks manky, but is actually pretty solid. Fun steep climbing with good holds just where you want them. 40 10c Blackballed 35' 4 Fun short route in the middle of the west face. Crux near top. 41 9+ Crest Chewel 40 5 Start on the right arete of the Gnar Wall. Easy climbing past 3 bolts, then move right to pull the overhang on good holds and continue to the shared anchor with Tooth Fairy. The 3 rd bolt hanger spins, but the bolt is solid no worries. 42 10b Tooth Fairy 40 6 In the usually shady Route Canal between Rad Wall and Gnar Wall. Turn bulge on the right, then back left to anchor. Note belay anchor bolt near ground on right wall. 43 10c Look Ma, No Cavities 40 4 The rightmost route in the Route Canal. Continuous stand and deliver climbing on small (for El Rito) holds. A relief from the pumpy routes. Note belay bolt on the corner of the rock behind you! Walt's Wall The major wall first on your left as you arrive at the area. Routes numbered L to R. Drawing below. 44? unknown 25' 4 Quite far to the north - look for cave. Short, severely overhanging route - looks very hard. 45 11d Electric Pet Gri 70 8 Strang guide is not complimentary of this route, but FA party thought it was quite good. Someone wrote Shit Pile in chalk at the base once, if that s any clue. I haven t tried it. 46 8 Walt s Wall Waltz 72 8 The leftmost route on the main wall close to a large rightangled dihedral. Climb a 15 flake attached to the wall behind a big detached leaning boulder. Moderate climbing leads to a crux headwall. Excellent route, generously bolted. Gary Clark Page 6 of 8 6/5/2005

47 9+ A Jap in the NBA 80 4 Almost never climbed, and not because of the crass name you ll either need some gear (medium cam + small chocks), or face a 60 ground fall - the developers didn t bolt the lower half. Start up a black seam ~ 5 right of Walt s Wall Waltz, passing a horizontal crack at ~12. Continue up easy rock with some opportunities for protection. The bolts on the upper half are poorly placed and of questionable quality, and there are large loose blocks. 48 9 Bloodline 72' 7 Near the center of the main section of wall. A few moves of 5.9 to get to first bolt, then moderate (5.7-5.8) fun climbing. Consider stick-clipping first bolt if 5.9 is challenging! 49 10d Drive-By Genocide 55' 6 High up the slope on the face of a tower section. Moderate climbing leads to a steep headwall finish. Good warmup. Beer Block Routes all around this enormous detached boulder, with no easy way to the top. Routes are numbered CCW from the SW corner. No drawing. 50 12a/b Whipper Wonderland 40' 4 Straight up and over "the wave" to a big power move. A sequential testpiece. The jug at the top is positive, but very sharp have plasma ready. 51 13c/d The Thing 40' 5 Up the steep "cave" and onto the wall just right of route 50. 52 11c/d Texas Whine 45' 7 In the dark depths of the gully. Homemade hangers, dirty, potential for hitting wall behind in leader fall. A big thumbs down for this route. 53 11b Village Cobbler 40' 5 Starts at the top of the gully. Original rating 11c. Excellent. 54 12a It's Time to Drink Beer 55 12a Buddha's Beer Belly 40' 4 40' 4 Steep initial section to a difficult slab. 56 12a/b Tecate Two-Step 40' 3 Up the arête, then an overhanging corner. Excellent. 57 13 B.Y.O.B. 40' 4 Small holds, tough finish. 58 12d To Beer or Not to Beer 59 12b Little Kings 40' 3 40' 4 Small holds and gastons. Gary Clark Page 7 of 8 6/5/2005

TICKLIST of routes sorted by difficulty (Routes with unknown ratings excepted.) # Rating Name Area # Rating Name Area 28 7+ Cobb It Schoolhouse 20 11a Cobbles & Robbers Ed-Woody 29 7+ Herby Goes Bananas Schoolhouse 3 11a Oxymorons Pirates 14 8 Cobzilla Balcony 11 11a Full Sail (over bulge) Super Slab 9 8 Super Arête Super Slab 8 11b Long John** Pirates 48 9 Bloodline Walt s Wall 16 11b Jug-or-Naut Balcony 2 9 Scurvy Dog Pirates 53 11b Village Cobbler Beer Block 13 9 Austin Powers,... Balcony 1v 11b Pretty Face Variation Training Wall 10 9 Class Action Super Slab 5 11c Walking the Plank Pirates 46 8 Walt s Wall Waltz Walt s Wall 23 11c Corn on the Cobble Big Pine 47 9+ Japs in the NBA Walt s Wall 37 11c The Matrix Rad Wall (SF) 41 9+ Crest Chewel 15 9/10a Mister Bigglesworth Balcony 1 11d Gnar Wall / Route Canal 52 11c/d Texas Whine Beer Block Just Another Pretty Face Training Wall 21 10a El Dorito Thimble 25 11d Peach Cobbler Big Pine 12 10a Boltaneer Super Slab 31 11d Procrastination Rad Wall 18 10a Gridlock Ed-Woody 45 11d Electric Pet Gri Walt s Wall 39 10b Balls to the Wall Gnar Wall 32 12a Bolting Barbie Rad Wall 11 10b Full Sail (bypass bulge) Super Slab 33 12a Stroke Me Rad Wall 42 10b Tooth Fairy Route Canal 35 12a Crack Attack Rad Wall 43 10b Look Ma, No Cavities Route Canal 54 12a It's Time to Drink Beer Beer Block 13 10c Oreo Super Slab 55 12a Buddha's Beer Belly Beer Block 40 10c Blackballed Gnar Wall 6 12a Pirated Pirates 26 10c Apple Cobbler Big Pine 50 12a/b Whipper Wonderland Beer Block 38 10c Resurrection Rad Wall (SF) 56 12a/b Tecate Two Step Beer Block 7 10c Blackbeard Pirates 59 12b Little Kings Beer Block 22 10d Cobble Wobble Big Pine 24 12b Pocket Rocket Big Pine 49 10d Drive-by Genocide Walt's Wall 36 12b Stoker Rad Wall 4 10d Captain Hook** Pirates 34 12c Against all Cobbs Rad Wall 19 10d Redline Ed-Woody 58 12d To Beer or Not to Beer Beer Block 57 13 B.Y.O.B. Beer Block 51 13c/d The Thing Beer Block ** I bestowed the double-asterisk names on routes that have gone unnamed in any printed reference for many years if you know the correct name, please contact me! Gary Clark Page 8 of 8 6/5/2005